Can opener



Oct. '16, 1 5

C. KUYKENDALL CAN'OPENER Filed Nov. 26, 1949 I INVENT OR wnzalfuykendalL ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 16, 1951 UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFlCE CAN OPENER William C. Kuykendall, Modesto, Calif.

Application November 26, 1949, Serial No. 129,594

1 Claim.

This invention is directed to, and it is an objectto provide, a novel can opener; the device being especially designed to'open cans of the type having ,a. relatively small-diameter neck whose upper end is closed by a sealed-in-place metallic disc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can opener with a novel plunger actuated cutter for punch-cutting the closure disc in a can neck as above; the cutter being formed for easy and efiective action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cutter, as in the preceding paragraph. which is operative to sever the metallic closure disc close to the rim of the neck; the out being slightly less than full-circle whereby to leave a small hinge which prevents the cut disc from falling into the can.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a can opener, of the type described, which includes a novel supporting body for the cutter; such body being constructed to engage the neck of the can in a manner to automatically aline the cutter with the disc prior to the cutting operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a can opener which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable can opener, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a can opener, detached.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the can opener as attached to a can neck, and with the parts in their starting or retracted position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, but shows the parts as advanced to cut the closure disc in the neck of the can.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the can opener.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the novel can opener comprises a cylindrical body I, open at its lower end, and closed at its upper end; the latter being formed with an upstanding neck 2. On one side thereof, and at the bottom portion, the cylindrical body I is cut away or laterally open, as at 3, for a circumferential extent slightly less than a half-circle whereby the 2 remaining lower end portion of the body forms what may be termed an arcuate retention skirt 4; oppositeend portions of said retention skirt extending substantially straight tangentially of the body bore 5, as at 6.

At the line of merger between the arcuate retention skirt 4 and the body I there is an internal circumferential groove 1. Y

The open side 3, retention skirt 4, and internal circumferential groove 1 are for the purpose of permitting the cylindrical body I to be engaged with lateral motion onto the upper end of the neck 8 of a can 9; the neck 8 being engaged with relative lateral movement into the arcuate retention skirt 4, at which time a top bead or rim l9 on the neck 8 seats in the internal circumferential groove I. In this. manner the cylindrical body I is readily manually located on top of the neck 8 preparatory to a punch cutting of a sealed-in-place metallic disc II in the upper portion of the neck 8, which cutting is accomplished by means of the following.

A plunger stem I2 slidably extends through the neck 2 from above, being maintained against relative turning motion by a guide screw I3 threaded through the neck 2 and engaging in a longitudinal groove I4 in said plunger stem I2. At its upper end the plunger stem I2 is fitted with a circular head I5 which forms a hand pad.

At its lower end the plunger stem I2 is rigid with a piston-like cutter I5 slidably disposed in the body I; such cutter being formed, at its lower end, with a substantially circular cutting edg I! which extends diagonally of the axis of said plunger stem I2.

At the upper or high end of the cutting edge H, the piston-like cutter I6 is squared tangentially; i. e. a chordal portion is cut away, as at I8, for the purpose hereinafter described.

When the described can opener is in place on a can neck 8, with the bore 5 alined therewith, the piston-like cutter I6 is driven downwardly, from an initially raised position, as. in Fig. 2, to a lowered or advanced position, as in Fig. 3, by hand pressure exerted on the circular head I5; the diagonal cutting edge I! effectively severing the metallic disc II from the neck 8 adjacent the rim I3, except for a small hinge I9 which is left uncut. This hinge I9 results from the chordal cut-away I8 at the high end of the cutting edge I'I, and the purpose of the hinge I9 is to permit the cut disc II to bend downwardly in the neck 8, yet not fall into the contents of the can.

After the cutting operation is complete the,

piston-like cutter i6 is retracted or raised to its starting position by pulling upwardly on the head 15, and thereafter the device is removed from the neck 8 by a simple lateral manipulation.

The top of the circular head [5 is rounded, as at 20, which not only provides for comfortable hand engagement, but additionally serves as a rocking surface when the circular head [5 is employed, in inverted position engaging the can top near the neck 8, as a Dry to detach the friction cap (not shown) which conventionally engages on the neck 8 as a manually detachable closure.

The described can opener is of a, practical and convenient-to-use design, and the cutter arrangement is such that a clean punch cutting of the closure disc is obtained close to the rim [0.

Further, the can opener is so designed that it may be manufactured simply and inexpensively.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, L

still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of, the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as ne and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

An opener for a can neck of that type having an 4 outwardly projecting rim bead and a metallic closure below the upper edge of the rim; the opener comprising a cylindrical body open at the bottom and adapted to rest on the bead, a skirt shorter than the neck and of substantially semicircular extent depending from the body and having an annular bead-receiving groove at its junction with the body, a piston-like cutter normally retracted into the body, an actuating stem for the cutter projecting upwardly from the body to depress the cutter, said cutter being of a diameter to enter the neck adjacent the bead and having a lower cutting edge extending diagonally thereof, and means between the body and stem preventing rotation of the cutter in the body and maintaining the lowest point of the cutter at the back of the skirt centrally between the ends thereof.

WILLIAM C. KUYKENDALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 497,698 Weston May 16, 1893 1,502,465 Garrett July 22, 1,924 2,001,303 Farrell May 14, 1935 2,338,592 Lorenzen Jan. 4, 1944 2,516,746 Barlow July 25, 1950 

